Evilized
by eSemmel
Summary: This is your brain. This is your brain on butterflies.


An apology: I kind of had to do it after so many sporadic requests on spacebattles going unanswered. It was bugging me.

A warning: This is a crossover fanfiction of two series/-ials. As such, it may contain spoilers for both. You may not want to suffer them for a one-shot.

 **Evilized**

 _She spoke her thoughts aloud. "I think… there's a lot of stuff bothering me."_

 _"Only natural," her dad said, very carefully._

 _"But I've dealt with worse. If it comes down to it, if this is all I have to worry about, I can maybe deal. I could maybe learn to be o-"_

 _It was at that exact moment that a shadow seemed to fall over her world. Somewhere far away she heard a voice talking, ranting about a coma and miraculous bugs. It all sounded so very familiar…_

* * *

This was it. At last, her nemesis had decided to show his face! His mask! His face mask! Whatever. He was here where she was for their final showdown with her trusty companion Chat Noir at her side. She had a feeling this was going to be big. Striking a heroic pose, she let loose. "We finally meet, Hawk Moth. It's about time we-"

"Yes, yes! Insert pun, I know! Please, Ladybug! You are the only one who can help me!"

Ladybug stared in disbelief as her fearsome foe wrung his hands and gave her the most despairing of looks.

"What on earth are you-"

"I evilized the wrong person! I regret everything! Please stop her for me!"

Ladybug narrowed her eyes. This didn't make any sense. Not after everything she had learned about her illusive enemy over their long episodic struggle. "But I thought you were in control of your Akuma powers? Why don't you just de-evilze her yourself?"

"Normally I would, but in her case, I'm powerless! Ladybug, you're my only hope!"

Chat Noir coughed exaggeratedly. When Hawk Moth didn't spare him a glance, his face fell until Ladybug patted his shoulder.

Whatever she had been about to say next was forgotten though, when their bizarre conversation was interrupted by an inhuman wailing sound.

Ladybug and Chat Noir whirled around to face the new threat, underlined by Hawk Moth's scared exclamation, "Oh god! She found us!"

'She' cut a fairly menacing figure in an uncharacteristically tattered villain outfit which, had it been whole, would have given the impression of an alien, man-sized insect with gimlet eyes, but now reminded more of the broken animatronics of a haunted house attraction that had fallen into disrepair. One of her sleeves had been torn – no, cut – right off, exposing a prosthetic arm to the elements. The only thing detracting from this image may have been the butterfly lazily circling around her head if its sickly coloring hadn't alerted Ladybug to its true nature. Her eyes widened almost comically as she tried to come to grips with what she was seeing.

"Wait… her Akuma is just flying around freely? This will be a piece of cake!"

"Yeah," Chat Noir spoke confidently. "We've got this in the bag. Like the cat, get it?"

His enthusiasm was dampened as Hawk Moth shook his head. "That's not the Akuma I sent after her."

Ladybug blinked. "What?"

Her nemesis gestured in the air above them. "And neither are those…"

As their gazes travelled upwards, they encountered what had to be hundreds of butterflies of a very sickly shade flying in ordered formations above the city. Ladybug's stomach dropped. If all these Akuma found their hosts at once, it could spell disaster. Could there be that many unhappy people living in Paris?

Before they could act, the woman screamed again. There was no meaning she could discern from it. Just noise. It did seem to serve as a signal for the Akuma though. They came down in droves, scattering in all directions, and wherever they alighted, a new villain was born… No, that wasn't quite right. She knew these people!

Obnoxious laughter of various stripes surrounded them as familiar faces took to the air using fiendishly physics defying feats. Here an evil clown stood atop an enormous soap bubble. There an evil sprite zipped past on an upwards draft pulled along by her umbrella. Over there a black knight used his sword to raise an evil army. But there an ancient – and evil – pharaoh chased after a cackling techno witch screaming about his lost love. This attracted the attention of an evil cupid who was trying to take aim with his hateful arrows but was distracted by a hatoful flock of pigeons crying "ROO! ROO!" and right across from them a mime was trying to pass the road on an invisible zebra crossing, narrowly avoiding a collision with an evil skater girl.

Meanwhile, Ladybug watched the spectacle with foreboding, and also Chat Noir.

"She's evilizing the villains we already pounded!"

"But how? Doesn't it take bad feelings in your heart for Akuma to take hold? This seems against their nature!"

Hawk Moth nodded. His voice was filled with unspeakable dread as he quietly exposited, "I recognize her. I was foolish not to sense the evil within her for what it was. I just saw so much potential…"

"Who is she?"

"She is the one who taught me how to really use my powers. She… borrowed me, during Golden Morning. She _was_ the Golden Morning."

Ladybug gasped. "You mean-"

"Khepri. I've unleashed Khepri on Paris."

"You fiend!" Chat Noir exclaimed, causing Hawk Moth to stand a little straighter.

"I am, aren't I? All this chaos… it's going to be a feast for my Akuma! So many new villains! But oh, what's the point if I am not the one controlling them? Please, Ladybug! Return them to me so the status quo can resume!"

Our spandex-clad warriors of justice turned and nodded towards each other. It was go time.

"Alright, Chat Noir. We're going to have to bring our A Game from the start. No second chances, alright?"

"Whatever you say, Ladybug. What's the plan?"

"I'll tell you in a second. Just let me use my… LUCKY CHARM!"

In Ladybug's waiting hands a light flashed and changed shape until she held what appeared to be an unassuming pistol, never mind the color scheme. She stared at it. Chat Noir stared at it. Even Hawk Moth stared at it.

Ladybug scratched her head. "Ah, I was honestly expecting a roll of toilet paper or something. What am I supposed to-"

In the nick of time Chat Noir grabbed her hand and hurled her out of the way of an incoming ice projectile courtesy of the bad weather fairy. "You'll figure it out. You always do. Come on, let's go!"

They jumped and flung themselves on top of a five story building and went from there.

"I don't even have a license for this thing! It's illegal!"

"Didn't stop you from driving an invisible car!"

"I was miming! Miming, my god!"

As their bickering voices disappeared in the distance among the flashing lights of miraculous mayhem, Hawk Moth leaned against a wayward wall and sighed to himself. Was he supposed to say something at this point? Maybe a parting shot? "And I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you meddling kids!" he tried.

No good. Oh well. Clearly, he needed more practice at the confrontational aspect of villainy. He'd have to pay close attention to this fight. It would be a learning experience for everyone. He nodded to himself and raised his fist to the skies. "Today you will save the day for the good of everyone, Ladybug, but beware. Next time, I will crush you like a… bug. Damn it, I'm off my game today!"


End file.
